Question 8

Both documentaries speak about money, political economy, and the power and image of cultural studies. Political economy is how something, in this case Disney, can be powerful and control society and the people around them by their money. Cultural studies are how one’s image and people, also Disney, can control society and the people around them. In “Mouse Trapped 2010”, many of the cast members argue that it is them who make Disney what it is, and it is them who change the lives of many young children for the better. At the same time though, Disney doesn’t pay their workers fairly; however, since they have become so powerful through the amount they are worth, they are able to decide wages without problems. As one person said, Disney claims that their wages are competitive, but they examine the wages of companies in central Florida who base their wages off of Disney; therefore Disney is really examining their own wages. Grossberg states that with media outlets combining and growing, it “raises important questions about the powerful role of media in a democratic society” (p22). In “Mickey Mouse Monopoly”, they argue that the globalization of Disney is due to buying out of other media corporations; therefore, controlling the people around them through political economy and bias in their media.